Landscape architect
You'd design and create spaces for plants and wildlife within towns and cities. This’ll make our environment healthier, greener and more attractive.
About the job
A day in the life – Landscape architect
What it's like
You'd design and create spaces for plants and wildlife to make towns and cities healthier and more attractive places to live.
You might work on public parks, green spaces in cities, housing developments or wildlife conservation areas. You’d be protecting the environment and supporting people’s health and wellbeing.
You’d use your creative skills and your technical and scientific knowledge to plan and design the site. You’d organise the work to create the landscape.
Your tasks might include:
meeting with clients to discuss their needs
visiting and surveying the site to look at existing plant and animal life, and natural resources
getting the views of local residents, businesses and other people who use the site
using computer-aided design (CAD) packages to draw up ideas for clients
presenting your design ideas to clients
drawing up contracts and manage the tendering process for contractors
writing reports and doing environmental impact assessments
giving evidence to public enquiries
monitoring the progress of projects
There are five areas you could work in as a landscape architect:
landscape design
landscape management
landscape science
landscape planning
urban design
You might work across one or two of these areas or you may specialise in just one of them.
You'llwork closely with landscape contractors and other professionals such as architects, town planners, surveyors, civil engineers and environmental campaigners.
Green jobÂ
In this job you'll be doing work to help the environment. Find out more about green jobs.Â
Hours
You will usually work a 37-hour, five-day week, but you may sometimes have to work extra hours to meet project deadlines.
Environment
You will usually be based in an office. When you are working on-site you will need to wear personal protective clothing such as a safety helmet.
Travel
You will also need to travel to inspect sites and meet clients.
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Related industries
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Construction and built environment
Top skills
Skills are things you're good at. Whether you know what yours are or not, everyone has them!
It's useful to learn which ones are important in a job so you know the areas you need to brush up on. It can also help you work out if you're suited to a career.
Top specialised skills
These are the top specialised skills that have been found in job vacancies across Scotland. From March 2024 to March 2025.
- landscape architecture
- autocad
- landscape design
- landscape planning
- sketchup (3d modeling software)
- impact assessment
- site analysis
- urban renewal
- environmental planning
- graphic communication
Meta skills
Here are some of the meta skills you'll need to do this job.
- working with numbers
- creative
- designing
- cooperating
- verbal communication
- working with technology
- attention to detail
- developing a plan
- taking responsibility
Your skills are important
Our unique skillsets are what make us stand out from the crowd. Learn about each skill in depth and discover what employers look for in your applications and interviews.
Getting in
Explore each section to find more information about getting into this career.
Colleges and universities will list subjects you'll need for entry to a course. Some useful subjects include:
Art and Design
Biology
Design and Manufacture
Environmental Science
Geography
Skills for Work: Rural Skills
You would need a degree (SCQF level 9/10) or postgraduate qualification (SCQF level 11) recognised by the Landscape institute.
To entry a BA Hons (SCQF level 10) Landscape Architecture you will need National 5 qualifications and four Highers (SCQF level 6) at BBBB to AABB.
Entry into a postgraduate course (MLA) will require a first or second class honours degree (SCQF level 10) in a relevant subject such as geography, planning or ecology.
Edinburgh University offers the only degree course in Scotland.
Qualifications and experience that demonstrates design and planning abilities and familiarity with computer-aided design packages will be of value.
Once in a job you will undertake a period of mentored training while working towards the Pathway to Chartership (P2C).
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